The instant invention relates to fire hydrant caps and actuating tools for use therewith. More particularly, the instant invention relates to fire hydrant caps and actuating tools for use therewith wherein security provided by the caps is enhanced while use of activating tools for the caps is made safer.
In many communities, fresh water has become, or is becoming, a valuable commodity which is metered to its users. A ubiquitous source of fresh water in urban and suburban communities is the enormous number of fire hydrants distributed throughout these communities. In order to protect such communities from fire, these hydrants must be readily available to fire departments. Unfortunately, in many areas, hydrants are opened by residents and others in order to obtain quantities of fresh water, sometimes for recreational purposes and at other times for sale to fresh water users. For example, tanker trucks frequently fill illegally at fire hydrants and sell stolen water to swimming pool owners. From time to time vandals damage, open and waste water from fire hydrants for no rational purpose whatsoever.
In order to protect water supplies and prevent fire hydrants from being opened by people other than those having authority to do so, vandal-proof security arrangements have been developed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,152 to Graham discloses a vandal-proof cap which is in wide use throughout the United States. This vandal-proof cap relies upon a steel cap which is threaded on the outlet of a fire hydrant. The steel cap has a dome shaped outer surface with a series of grooves therein which require the use of a special wrench having a gripping portion with shoulders for engaging the grooves. The cap of Graham has been improved over the years by providing a slip ring which minimizes the effectiveness of band-type wrenches or other large wrenches in illegally removing the cap. Unfortunately, vandals are beginning to defeat the Graham device by pounding the slip ring with a sledge hammer to weld the slip ring to the cap so that purchase of the slip ring with the cap enables one to apply sufficient torque to remove the cap with tools other than the specially configured tool provided only to fire departments.
In addition, it has been found that the specially configured tool or wrench utilized to back the cap off can slip from the cap. Since the wrench is large and the torque applied by the wrench is considerable, if the wrench slips there is risk of injury to the firemen using the wrench and to any one standing near the wrench.
In view of the aforementioned considerations, there is need for improvement in the original Graham arrangement.